Way back in the early sixties of last century I had just entered primary school and was being taught to write. Making matters worse I was the only English speaking child in the entire school.
I failed dismally to be able to write a sentence anyone could read. Try as they might, the teachers also failed dismally.
My childish pencil scrawls wore out even the biggest erasers. Little did I know that in a few years I would have to use pen and ink that no erasers could help - and then the hieroglyphics would remain stubbornly illegible.
Yet, once I started using the dip pens and black ink, the opposite happened. My writing improved, not by much though, but most people could read what I had written.
Over the years my writing has maintained a few quirky elements, sometimes it is slanted to the left, other times to the right, and very occasionally it is upright, but only for a couple of lines demanding intense concentration. The same letter in a different word would bear little resemblance to the current word.
In the last decade of the last century I discovered roller ball pens, and for a brief period I liked writing with them more than with a fountain pen. Alas, as time went on, the roller ball lost its attraction. At some point (pun intended) around the turn of the century computers made their presence felt and I worked on getting my ‟two-finger-typing” speed up.
One day while on a solitary retreat to create a concept for a multi-media event I was directing, which included the main movie script I found myself with an A4 pad which had reasonable quality paper, and a vintage Scheaffer fountain pen and a few ink cartridges borrowed from my reluctant father.
During long bouts of hyper-focused writing I did some of the best work I had ever done. At the time I didn´t recognize the impact that the fountain pen had on my creativity.
A few years later something similar happened, and still I didn´t make the connection. That only happened much later.
The point of this tale is that because writing with a fountain pen demands a slower, more careful process, the quality of whatever you are creating is dramatically increased.
This quality extends to note taking, and to journalling. In fact anything that requires writing will be significantly better when written with a fountain pen.
The fountain pen is natural mind-calmer. It encourages improved structured thinking, that in turn makes for enhanced decision-making, and finally better creativity.
All of which creates a happier quality of life.
I advise all of you to invest in a fountain pen. Don´t go to the usual stationers shop to get one. Log into either or both of these two websites, Write Gear and Applebee. They are specialist pen, pencil and notebook shops. (I have provided links below)
You can buy an excellent starter fountain pen for just over a R100. Get a notebook and some ink cartridges and practice using the pen. Give it at least a week, preferably two.
I have now got five fountain pens - none have cost me more than R150, and I am a convertee to this superior form of writing and thinking.
I have no connection to Applebee or Write Gear. Over the last few months I have become a member of around 5 online fountain pen groups - some of which have thousands of members around the world.
I have no desire - or the bank balance - to become a collector, I just love the benefits of writing and thinking at the same time.
Write Gear Platinum Starter Pens
Write Gear Jinhao Starter Pens